4-wheel Bob completes the first
wheelchair-bound ascent of the Summit of White Mtn Peak!

Here are a few links and pictures you can put
up on the website about Bob Coomber, who for the past few years has been
trying to make the summit in his wheelchair. He did it last week! It took
10 hours and 45 minutes! The first wheelchair bound ascent of the Summit
of White Mtn Peak! Complete with pictures and a story
from backpacker.com.

Here's a quote from the story.

I'd been told by the team that once onto the final switchbacks
it got flatter and easier. I was completely demoralized, once there, to
find the opposite. The rocks filling the "road" were bigger and
harder to gain traction. So much for the differences in perception of hikers
and wheelchair hikers! But light was beginning to fade on the east side
of the peak, and a cold rush of urgency spurred me to just look down and
push forward. This was some kind of demon's joke! It got so much more difficult
and I was in so much pain that I felt like just sitting there, stopping
and hoping something would change. I looked up, and the Summit Lab seemed
almost within touching distance, all of a sudden! Yow! Maybe it'll finally
happen, ya think? I came up the final two turns, cursing like a drunken
sailor at every rock, every slippery patch....and of course the final 20
feet were the toughest. It took all I had left to churn around the corner
and suddenly be level with the Summit Lab, Summit Register...I was almost
in tears. Only exhaustion kept me from completely breaking down like a kid
on Christmas morning after getting his Red Ryder BB Gun. Tom, Rick and Cheryl
took photos, and there was a completely unforced whoop of elation from everyone.
Ten hours and 45 minutes after we'd set off, at 6:44 PM I made the summit
- 14,246 feet.

Bob Coomber

Bob heads off to White Mountain Peak from Barcroft Observatory.
That's one of California's highest peaks (#3 or 4, depending on who you
talk to).

The going gets rough and the air gets thin near the top. The peak consists
of loose shale- tough going for small-wheeled vehicles.

Bob at the summit! The shadow of the peak may be seen in the background.

Bob's register entry.

WMRC Crooked Creek and Barcroft Stations are operated under special use permit with the Inyo National Forest.